I don't know if and what casters have talents/spells that do more damage depending on how far they are from bosses - okay maybe the movement in melee is a little higher but i don't think it would make much of a difference for a caster to stay in melee range.

Of course there are exceptions like WotE, where the dance would be much more a dps loss than a gain (probably).

I don't know if and what casters have talents/spells that do more damage depending on how far they are from bosses

Tera's combat works this way for ranged classes, the closer you stay to the enemy the more dmg your ranged skills/abilities do, oh and pure dps classes do shittons of dmg compared to tanks and healers, that makes it worth to roll a dps over a hybrid
P.s. The overall quality of the game is debatable but his full action combat system and sharp distinction between class roles makes wow combat look like a card game, youf roll a priest in Tera you can't expect to be a dps in dungeon/raid enviroments coz slayer's dps is double of yours...

that would be cool, but I have a feeling demon hunters will happen next xpac, and they will be a melee/ranged hybrid, perhaps even tank, possibly utilizing a rage mechanic

I don't know why people think demon hunters are still going to happen.
Warlocks are the the demon hunters of wow, you're not going to get a separate demon hunting class.

This isn't like warlocks vs Death Knights, where warlocks had "Death Coil". Warlock death coil was completely unrelated to the DK abilitiy, other than looking vaguely the same spell-effect wise. It was also a single ability that was one of the lesser Death Knight (WC3 class) abilities.

Demon Hunters do not have any ability that isn't already used.

Evasion is an iconic ability of Rogues.
Mana burn was an iconic ability of Priests until it was considered too powerful and removed.

Immolation is already employed by warlocks, and warlock possess an advanced more fleshed out version of Metamorphosis than the original Demon Hunter class already had. Along with the glyph of demon hunting, the Illidan themed challenge mode armor, and the "Chaos" magic spells added to Meta for Mists, it's pretty much 100% clear that Blizzard has no intention of adding a Demon Hunter class, and is instead shaping Demonology to be a Demon Hunter-esque talent spec.

I'd like to see a Gun-Kata-esque (If you havent watched Equilibrium go do it now ^^) Dual Wielding Handgun spec. Something that incorporates Melee gun attacks as well as being very adept at ranged attacks where needed. I do agree that the class should retain it's melee roots though but having a cool flashy gun/sword/dagger combo (Devil May Cry?) would be awesome. The one thing I think Rogues always lacked is flair and even though they have no magic abilities I think this can be easily compensated by having some kickass acrobatic moves.

They will never do this simply because blizzard has laid out its class design around making sure that rogues are never badasses the way warriors/DKs/Mages are. They seem to actually be doing everything possible to avoid us becoming either ninjas or lonewolf assassins since these are so appealing due to popular culture (I mean hell, just about every action movie has a main character that is somehow like that).

Blessed is the day. And the one Who destroys the day.
Blessed is this ring of fire In which we live
Blessed are those who stand still In their confusion.
Blessed is the field as it burns.
Most people would rather die than think, and most people do. -Bertrand Russell

With all and utmost respect, why don't you just roll a Hunter? What could a ranged Rogue possibly add to World of Warcraft that makes them different and worth playing over a Hunter aside from a little more flexibility when fights require more ranged?

I don't see what this would add to the game. It's not like you are able to deploy new and awesome poisons or anything, Hunters already have Serpent Sting which isn't far off from Deadly Poison these days. Focus and energy is quite comparable although one passively regenerates and the other is being regenerated passively and also actively. Then there are combo points, and with that all I can imagine is a ranged Rupture, and ranged Eviscerate and a Slice and Dice type of ability.

In Guild Wars 2 the Rogue (or Thief rather) class was able to become a ranged spec/class. All they came up with in that game which mind you has nothing but amazing and original ideas, was a Shadowstep like ability that shoots yourself forward (much like Blink) and ranged combo point-like abilities that simply did more damage the more ''combo points'' you had.

I don't see this ever working. Hunters fill the niche of a ranged physical class and all I can see Rogues become are knockoff Hunters. Yes a Hunter class/spec without a pet would be nice, but I think reworking a Hunter spec to fill that would be far more likely.

With all and utmost respect, why don't you just roll a Hunter? What could a ranged Rogue possibly add to World of Warcraft that makes them different and worth playing over a Hunter aside from a little more flexibility when fights require more ranged?

I don't see what this would add to the game. It's not like you are able to deploy new and awesome poisons or anything, Hunters already have Serpent Sting which isn't far off from Deadly Poison these days.

I don't see this ever working. Hunters fill the niche of a ranged physical class and all I can see Rogues become are knockoff Hunters. Yes a Hunter class/spec without a pet would be nice, but I think reworking a Hunter spec to fill that would be far more likely.

The point wasn't that I personally want to play a physical ranged class.
It was that the general consensus is that rogues are stale and rather uninteresting compared to all the other classes, and our talent specs have almost no variety. All the specs play practically the same. This was simply a half-hearted suggestion to add something new to the class, based on something Blizzard gave us.

Originally Posted by capitano666

ditto, why combat? it is the only spec which isn't "lololol I'm a ninja" crap

Because as I said in the first post, the other two specs basically -are- combat, but with extra things, especially with the BF nerf.
It was by no means an absolute statement, it just seemed like the best choice, since Sub is stealth and bleed focused, and Assassination is poison focused, combat in comparison seemed to lack a specific focus, so I chose it.

I suppose you could use assassination and create a spec based on hit the target with poisoned throwing weapons/darts and the like.

The point wasn't that I personally want to play a physical ranged class.
It was that the general consensus is that rogues are stale and rather uninteresting compared to all the other classes, and our talent specs have almost no variety. All the specs play practically the same. This was simply a half-hearted suggestion to add something new to the class, based on something Blizzard gave us.

Oh sorry I realize my post looks a bit too personal, I more or less meant ''why wouldn't the people interested in a ranged physical DPS class roll a Hunter''. It wasn't meant to be directed at you personally.

My point still stands though. I don't see how this would help Rogue numbers go up if the alternative is rolling a Hunter who have so many more things going for them. I'd love to see a Rogue rework but I don't see a ranged spec being the solution.

Oh sorry I realize my post looks a bit too personal, I more or less meant ''why wouldn't the people interested in a ranged physical DPS class roll a Hunter''. It wasn't meant to be directed at you personally.

My point still stands though. I don't see how this would help Rogue numbers go up if the alternative is rolling a Hunter who have so many more things going for them. I'd love to see a Rogue rework but I don't see a ranged spec being the solution.

While I don't think "ranged rogues" would bring anything new to the table that wouldn't step directly on the toes of hunters, from a flavor perspective guns in melee sounds really viable as a "spice" to change or create a new spec with more flare, and genuinely different mechanics. Loading the gun, choice of munitions, drawing your opponent off-guard for the shot or readying the shot while you're in an opponent's face...

I don't know why people think demon hunters are still going to happen.
Warlocks are the the demon hunters of wow, you're not going to get a separate demon hunting class.

This isn't like warlocks vs Death Knights, where warlocks had "Death Coil". Warlock death coil was completely unrelated to the DK abilitiy, other than looking vaguely the same spell-effect wise. It was also a single ability that was one of the lesser Death Knight (WC3 class) abilities.

Demon Hunters do not have any ability that isn't already used.

Evasion is an iconic ability of Rogues.
Mana burn was an iconic ability of Priests until it was considered too powerful and removed.

Immolation is already employed by warlocks, and warlock possess an advanced more fleshed out version of Metamorphosis than the original Demon Hunter class already had. Along with the glyph of demon hunting, the Illidan themed challenge mode armor, and the "Chaos" magic spells added to Meta for Mists, it's pretty much 100% clear that Blizzard has no intention of adding a Demon Hunter class, and is instead shaping Demonology to be a Demon Hunter-esque talent spec.

Also, Demon Hunters are completely unrelated to the topic at hand.

For your last sentence: So you posted a few paragraphs telling how Warlocks are basically demon hunters? xP. In any case, I disagree with your point. There are 3 abilities there. I can't name a class with less than 20. There's A LOT of room to make a Demon Hunter Class. Notice how none of this "Chaos" magic is imbued in the warlocks weapon, a very vital point in the demon hunters arsenal. Also, Warlock Meta is a lot different from a Demon Hunters Meta. Warlocks gain their ability by dominating demons, Demon Hunters gain their abilities by becoming one with a demon (Essentially, may be wording this wrong). There are enough differences to create a Demon Hunter Class in any case. Just my opinion.

While I don't think "ranged rogues" would bring anything new to the table that wouldn't step directly on the toes of hunters, from a flavor perspective guns in melee sounds really viable as a "spice" to change or create a new spec with more flare, and genuinely different mechanics. Loading the gun, choice of munitions, drawing your opponent off-guard for the shot or readying the shot while you're in an opponent's face...

I guess I just don't see it. It just doesn't feel like a Rogue thing to stand in some bloodthirsty Orc Warrior's face and shouting ''Wait stop don't attack me! I need to load my gun with a different ammunition!'' before proceeding to calmly change your ammunition, looking back at the Orc, shaking your head and change the ammunition again, polishing your gun a little and then aiming to shoot the poor confused Orc.

I guess I just don't see it. It just doesn't feel like a Rogue thing to stand in some bloodthirsty Orc Warrior's face and shouting ''Wait stop don't attack me! I need to load my gun with a different ammunition!'' before proceeding to calmly change your ammunition, looking back at the Orc, shaking your head and change the ammunition again, polishing your gun a little and then aiming to shoot the poor confused Orc.

...yes, yes I smirked constantly while writing that.

I had a good laugh at it, too. The part you're missing is where you stuck a dagger through each of his boots in quick succession and tossed sand in his eyes before reloading. Give a good purpose to the vanish and stealth line as well, as your character can prepare for the fight from the shadows. The latter would really be an issue in PvP because it would come back to the tangled mess of openers/ambushing your opponent (literal ambushing, not the ability ambush) being either useless or OP.

I had a good laugh at it, too. The part you're missing is where you stuck a dagger through each of his boots in quick succession and tossed sand in his eyes before reloading. Give a good purpose to the vanish and stealth line as well, as your character can prepare for the fight from the shadows. The latter would really be an issue in PvP because it would come back to the tangled mess of openers/ambushing your opponent (literal ambushing, not the ability ambush) being either useless or OP.

Hmm an engineer rogue would then have a rocket launcher, a handgun, some sand and a dagger in his/her hands. Me like

I've thought about this idea and think it would be interesting to have the spec be hybrid, so they get damage bonuses by constantly swapping between ranged and melee, similar to lunar and solar eclipse for balance druids.

This way you're never truly ranged and have to get into the fray to do some damage and then pop out, going back and forth on the target. Would be unique as most classes fall in either melee or ranged. Haven't thought too much on balancing yet.

Sub / Assassination : These become one specialization, not distinct enough theme between the two -- clean up talents and only keep logical ones.
Combat: Keep, has specific identity.
Hybrid Melee/Ranged specialization.

Tbh, if i wanted to play as ranged, i would have rolled another of the muliple ranged dps classes - hell i play the rogue because i like to be in melee and avoid things with the minimum movement possible.